The Last One
by Anteyra
Summary: Enterprise rescues a young alien girl who appears to be more than what she really is. How will the crew react when they find out what she is capable of? Chapter 17 up! COMPLETE
1. I'm Not Working Sir, I'm Reading

She lay on the biobed unconscious, but quivering, her face tensing every now and then, she was obviously remembering bad times or having nightmares. The Captain and Commander were standing over her. What ever had happened to her on that planet certainly was very traumatising for her. They didn't know much about her, about her species, but they knew that she didn't belong at the prison camp. For several days the crew of the Enterprise had been doing their best to rescue 2 people from there… Commander Tucker and Lieutenant Reed, but now they were back safely on board the ship, but with a new passenger.

Trip and Malcolm had done their best to communicate with her but with no luck, except for being able to tell her their names. From that moment she began to trust them which led them to rescue her. She didn't look like anyone else on the planet and so that led them to believe she had been kidnapped or something. She was too young to look like a criminal, and in the short space of time that the two men had known her she didn't seem the type to be a criminal.

Captain Archer was mesmerised by her hair. It was long, light brown colour, but it was also blue. Streaks of a dark blue colour ran through her hair at even intervals. When Trip had first seen her he was mesmerised by it too.

"Will she live?" Captain Archer finally asked turning to his Denobulan doctor.

"Hopefully." He replied with a small smile, which very quickly washed away. "Her injuries are healing up a lot faster than any human's." he added

"What do you know about her?" He asked turning to Commander Tucker.

"Not a lot sir. She doesn't speak English and she's not human. The guards at that placed seemed to enjoy beating her up a lot. I'm guessing they must've known her well to do something like to her. Poor kid." Archer realised that Trip had gotten himself attached to the girl that lay on the bed in their sickbay. He turned back to look at the young girl.

"Let me know when she wakes up." Archer said with a sigh not really knowing what else to do.

"Of course captain." He turned and left with Trip following him.

"What are we going to do with her?" Trip asked as the doors to sickbay closed behind them.

"I don't know Trip. First of all I'd like to try and speak with her, find out what I can about her."

"I'm not sure she'll want to talk to anybody she doesn't recognise when she wakes up and finds herself in a strange room sir."

"I agree." Archer looked Trip. "But maybe if you were there too she'd feel safer." Trip nodded his head. "Let's go and see how Malcolm is."

"I'm sure he'd be glad of the company." They both moved off towards Malcolm's quarters.

Lieutenant Reed was lying on his bed on his back reading a PADD. It contained the reports from the Armoury for the last 8 days, the length of time he had been held prisoner at the camp on the planet. The day that they had been rescues Malcolm had been beaten up a bit, but not as much as the girl. He had managed to get a bad bump on the head, resulting in slight concussion, the reason why Doctor Phlox had removed him from duty for a couple of days. The door soon chimed and he sat up.

"Come in." He called. The door slid open and in walked Trip and John. A smile crossed his face when he saw his two friends enter. "Captain, Commander."

"How are you feeling?" John said moving over to him and sitting down on the bed next to the Armoury officer

"I'm getting there. How's the girl?"

"She's still unconscious. Doctor Phlox is hopeful that she'll make a full recovery. What have you got there?" He asked noticing the PADD.

"It's the last weeks report from the Armoury. I asked Ensign Birden to bring it to me"

"If I recall Doctor Phlox said you were supposed to not do any work." Archer said crossing his arms looking at his Armoury Officer.

"I'm not working sir, I'm reading. No harm in that is there?" The three men smiled at each other.

A few days passed and nothing much about the girl's condition changed. After a final examination by Phlox, Malcolm was allowed back on duty, but had to start things off slowly, not too much stress or any fights. Captain Archer was sitting in his chair in his ready room when a voice came over the COMM system.

"Sickbay to Captain Archer." John stopped reading the PADD he had in his hands and placed it on his desk.

"Go ahead." The captain responded as he pressed a button at the side of his monitor.

"Our guest has woken up."

"Notify Commander Tucker, I'm on my way." He quickly got up and left his ready room. On his way to the turbo lift he called Ensign Hoshi Sato and she got up and joined him. When the pair arrived in sickbay Trip was sitting at the edge of the bed cradling the new comer. It was obvious that she was frightened but seeing Trip was thankfully calming her down. "Trip?" He looked up when he heard his name being said.

"Cap'n." He replied. John nodded to Hoshi and she got her universal Translator ready.

"Can you get her to talk?"

"I'll try." Trip pulled out of the hug slightly so that he could look into her eyes. As soon as Archer saw their colour he was fixed on them, like he was in a trance. Hoshi could also see their brilliance, a very pale lilac colour. "I need you to talk. If you could talk just for a few seconds we could understand each other." But she just starred into his eyes, then she noticed Captain Archer not standing very far away from her. She looked at him.

"Qui etes-vous?" She finally said. Hoshi was suddenly very surprised.


	2. Sounds Like They Mean Business

"Qui etes-vous?" She finally said. Hoshi was suddenly very surprised. Archer noticed this and turned to her.

"Hoshi?"

"She speaks French!" Hoshi exclaimed.

"Trip, qu'est-ce qui s'est passe?"

"Bonjour. Je m'appelle Hoshi. Comment t'appel tu?"

"Je m'appelle Marlaya."

"Her name's Marlaya." Hoshi said turning to Captain Archer.

"How do I greet her?" Archer asked his translator.

"Bonjour, Je m'appelle and then state your name." John turned to face his guest.

"Bonjour Marlaya. Je m'appelle Captain Jonathan Archer."

"Bonjour Captain." She slightly nodded her head at him. She looked a Hoshi. "Ou est nous?"

"Sur le navire des etoile Enterprise." Hoshi replied to Marlaya's question.

"Hoshi, it would be easier if you turned the translator on. Then we could all talk to her." Archer suggested. Trip smiled as Hoshi snapped back into reality upon hearing her Captain's order, and the reason why she was down there.

"I'm sorry sir." She said with a smile working on the U.T. "It's just I haven't spoken French for a long time I just wanted to get a bit more practice in." after pressing a few buttons on the translator she nodded at Captain Archer. "She'll be to understand us now." Archer nodded in acknowledgement.

"I hope you weren't too frightened when you woke up."

"No sir." She replied.

"I'm sure you already know two member's of my crew. Commander Trip Tucker and Lieutenant Malcolm Reed." Marlaya nodded her head. "How old are you?"

"19. 19 years old. My people have 24 hours in a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year, equalling 365 days a year."

"That's what we have on our planet. We're from a planet called Earth." He smiled at the way she had given the information.

"Earth. I have not heard of that planet before."

"Where are you from?"

"A planet called Tarnisia. 4 years ago I was kidnapped by the Gregtarnans and brought to the prison camp." Marlaya looked away from the gaze of everyone as she began to speak about her past.

"In that case we shall do our best to locate Tarnisia and take you back to your family."

"There is no point captain." Archer looked at her with confusion on his face. "The planet was destroyed by those that took me prisoner. I have reasons to believe that I am the only one of my species left." Everyone in the room was shocked by Marlaya's words

"Other's could've managed to escape from the destruction." Trip commented.

"If they had then I would know. It is hard to explain why captain."

"How long until she can leave sickbay?"

"Now if she wanted to. Her injuries have all healed nicely. I have no reason to keep her here."

"How does a nice walk sound to you?" Marlaya smiled at him and nodded her head. Trip helped her off the bed and put her jacket on her shoulders. It was a very thin blue jacket, floaty. The rest of her clothes were also blue. John went round giving her a tour of the ship. The only place they didn't take her was the bridge. Down in the Mess Hall they found Lieutenant Reed eating his lunch. He was onto his desert, a fruit salad, containing pineapple.

"I see you're enjoying yourself Malcolm." Reed looked up from his food to his superior officers and noticed the girl.

"Yes I am sir. I'm glad to see that she's all right."

"Yes. We're just giving her a tour of the ship. Luckily it's easy for us to communicate with her because she speaks French."

"I thought her language sounded familiar." Suddenly at that moment tactical alert came on.

"Everyone get to your posts!" Archer yelled at everyone in the Mess Hall, and they all quickly began to scatter out. Archer and Reed quickly began to leave.

"Cap'n! Where should Marlaya go?" Archer turned and looked at her.

"Come with us." Trip nodded his head and together the five of them left. Up on the bridge Hoshi quickly moved into her seat, as did Malcolm. T'Pol jumped out of the Captain's chair as John entered. "Report!"

"2 unknown vessels have dropped out of warp and are on an intercept course with us. Their weapons are charged." She said taking her place at the science station.

"On screen." The 2 vessels appeared on the screen.

"Those are Tarnisian battle cruisers!" Marlaya said keeping her eyes fixed on the screen in front of her.

"So that means some people are alive?" John turned to her.

"Their bio signs however do not match yours." T'Pol said looking at Marlaya.

"Do you recognise them?" John moved over and put a hand on the rail at the top of T'Pol's desk as he waited for an answer.

"They are the same species as the one on the planet where Commander Tucker and Lieutenant Reed were being held prisoner."

"Gregtarnans. I wonder what they want with us." Trip said looking at John.

"It may not be 'us' they want Trip. It might only be Marlaya they're after." John turned to face Marlaya. "What can you tell us about those ships?"

"Their defensive capabilities are very strong. They have a special power grid that surrounds the ship and prevents any objects from reaching it. It's called a shield. I don't know if you've heard of them before, or if your ship is equipped with one." John just shook his head." Their weapons consist of E.M. pulse cannons, plasma turrets, and photon torpedoes."

"Sounds like they mean business." The tactical officer said.

"We've had to be well equipped to deal with Gregtarnans, but in their attack that destroyed my homeworld, they used a weapon we had never seen before."

"Do you want me to bring weapons online sir?"

"No." Archer replied shaking his head. "If we don't show signs of retaliation we might not be attacked."

"We're being hailed." John looked at Marlaya.

"You should stay out of sight." Marlaya nodded her head. "Trip, take her into my ready room."

"Aye sir." The two of them quickly moved off John turned to Hoshi and nodded his head. In the ready room Marlaya sat down in a chair but Trip stayed standing, looking out of the window at the vessels. "So, why do you say that you think you're the only Tarnisian left alive?"

"Like I said Trip it's hard to explain."

"Can't ya try?" he turned to face her. Marlaya looked into his eyes and sighed.

"Our minds are linked together, so we can easily sense if another Tarnisian dies, so all Tarnisians, even if they didn't know the person personally, they all have a period of mourning, and that's quite often."

"And right now you can't sense anybody else?" Marlaya nodded. "Well I understand that perfectly. You certainly underestimate humans." The young girl smiled.

Suddenly the ship was violently shaken and suddenly all power cut out. The ready room became very dark. As soon as the lights went out Marlaya stood up out of the chair and grabbed Trip's arm for protection.

"They've fired the E.M pulse cannon!" Marlaya shouted, she was now getting scared. Trip went for the door and began to pry it open so they could get onto the bridge, but suddenly 2 Gregtarnans beamed into the small room and shot both of them unconscious, all four of them dematerialised.


	3. They're Gonna Kill Me Aren't They?

Out on the bridge it was panic attack. Crewmembers were rushing around trying to do anything they could to keep their captain safe and get the ship repaired and back to working condition.

"Bring auxiliary power online!"

"All the ships systems have been disabled."

"What was it that we were hit with?" Came a voice from somewhere in the darkness.

"I think that was a shot from the E.M pulse cannons Marlaya warned us about." Came the reply from a fairly calm British tactical officer.

"Do we have COMM online?"

"I'm afraid not sir." Hoshi replied shaking her head.

A few hours passed and over on the Tarnisian battle cruiser Trip and Marlaya were waking up. They were in a very dark room. Trip was the first to fully awaken and realise that he had been tied up, his hands behind his back, at least he though they were directly behind his back. He could feel heat behind him and decided that Marlaya was up against him. When he looked down he saw a pair of hands, and realised that Marlaya's hands and been tied around Trip's waist and knew the same had been done to him. As he looked around the cell he noticed that there was no one else there, and could sense that his friend was waking up.

"Marlaya?"

"Yes?" she said. Her voice was quaky and he knew that the next question he was going to ask was a silly one but he asked it anyway.

"You all right?"

"I don't know." There was a few minutes silence. Trip could tell that she had begun to cry. He felt a couple of tears fall onto his hands. "They're gonna kill me aren't they? Like they killed the rest of my family, friends, people. They're gonna kill me. I know they are."

"I'm gonna do my best to prevent that." At that moment the door opened and light fell on the two prisoners tied up back-to-back. Trip and Marlaya turned their heads away from the sudden brightness to let their eyes adjust. One of the men that had entered moved over to Marlaya. He grabbed her chin so that she was forced to look into his eyes.

"I've found you at last." He said." You will pay for your crimes." He tucked some of Marlaya's hair behind her ear giving him a better chance to look deeply into the eyes of his scared young prisoner.

"How many times do I have to tell you, I didn't kill them! The Tarnisians had forensic proof that I didn't do it."

"Of course they'd say that, you were one of them. They would do anything to protect you. I know that they fiddled with the evidence to get you off the hook."

"And put the blame on another Tarnisian? My people would never do that, Triaan, you know that! Forensic proof doesn't lie no matter how hard you try to twist it."

"Even so, I know you killed them." He stood up to begin to leave.

"Do you know where I have spent the last four years?" the man turned back round, when he did Trip could see the dark green line that ran down the middle of his face. "I've been in one of your prison camps on Hundaria IV."

"We shall just take you back there."

"Thought you said you would challenge her to Yarkindo!" another voice echoed round the room. The first man looked over at the other one.

"Maybe I will Jundar, maybe I will." And with that they left. They heard the door lock and footsteps moving away into the distance.

"Yarkindo?" Trip asked.

"It is a fight, to the finish. Yark means fight, indo means finish in their language." Trip thought for a second and very soon he had an idea.

"Marlaya, do you think if you used your teeth you could untie the ropes round my wrists."

"I'll give it a try." Trip wriggled his arms so that they were close enough for her to begin to undo them. It wasn't long before Trip's hands were free and he could untie Marlaya. They were then free to untie the bounds around their waist and feet.

"What exactly was all that about?"

"5 years ago a Tarnisian murdered Triaan's family. And because my family were the rulers of my world they immediately put the blame on me. For a year the Tarnisians worked on the evidence finally proving that it wasn't me. Of course the Gregtarnans didn't believe them and so destroyed Tarnisia, kidnapping me and making me watch the destruction on my home. No one had a warning before it happened. They're all dead."

"I take it that war has been going on between your people for centuries?"

"No. Only since the day I refused to marry a Gregtarnan because I was in love with a Tarnisian. So the Gregtarnans murdered him right before my eyes. And they gave me his bleeding heart as it beat a few more times, I never forgave them for that, but not enough to want to kill Triaan's own family. I wouldn't hurt a fly." Trip could see the tears flowing down her cheek, he moved over to her and hugged her.

"En'erprise will find us soon." He said as he stroked her hair. Her head resting against his chest.

"Not if the E.M. pulse has badly damaged the warp reactor and other major systems enough to put them on hold for a few days." She put her arms round Trip's waist to keep him close to her. Trip leant forward slightly and gave her a slight kiss on the forehead.

On Enterprise the engineering teams were frantically trying to get all systems back online, at least the major important ones like life support, weapons and the engines. The men and women on the bridge were waiting patiently, as they could do nothing. They were also completely oblivious to the fact that Marlaya and Trip were now missing and no longer onboard. Very soon the lights on the bridge came up and they knew they had power back.

"Which systems have we got back?" Archer asked as he got out of his chair and moved over to T'Pol.

"Life support and weapons are returning to normal, also internal sensors have returned." John nodded his head and began to move away. "Captain, I am not detecting anyone in your ready room." Hoshi and Travis looked at each other, worrying covering their faces.

"Where are Marlaya and Trip then?" He said as he moved back, leaning against the back of T'Pol's science desk.

"They are not aboard."

"It is possible that they were taken when all our systems went offline. As Marlaya said the Gregtarnans had destroyed her homeworld." Malcolm said now worried for his friend and their guest. They had beaten him and Marlaya up pretty badly when they were at the prison camp, who knows what they might try and do to Commander Tucker.

"Have we got long range sensors?"

"Not yet."

"Tell me as soon as we do." T'Pol nodded and John moved off into his ready room. Tension was high among the bridge crew as all were sharing the same though. What was going to happen to Commander Tucker and Marlaya?


	4. Stand Up!

Another punch sent her flying backward into a wall and she collapsed on the floor. As her back hit the hard metal wall she took a sharp intake of air. Yarkindo had started and Triaan was winning. Marlaya had not been trained in self-defence or fighting and was not one for causing pain upon others. Trip was just standing to one side of the room with two Gregtarnans holding him back from going over to help the poor Tarnisian female.

Blood now flowed from her nose. Triaan advanced again. He grabbed her, dragged her onto her feet then punched her round the face again. Her head sharply twisted with the force of the blow and she heavily fell onto the floor, her body all tense from the shock. She was in so much pain that she could hardly move. The cheering from the other crewmen standing round the edge of the room watching the fight rang in her ear, her head throbbing from the pain that she didn't see him advance again. She tried to roll out of the way, but she was too slow and he kicked her in the stomach. Trip shut is eyes tight as he couldn't stand to see her get hurt any longer. All the times he had seen the guards beating her up and now this, it was too much for him to take. Her eyes had begun to cloud over and her vision was blurring, tears had begun to form as the pain was just becoming too much for her to take, she was wishing it would end soon so that she wouldn't have to take anymore of this fight.

During the whole fight Triaan had a smile on his face, but as soon as he kicked her in the stomach the smile vanished from his evil face. There was no fun in fighting an opponent who wouldn't even fight back. He had had enough. He turned away and very quickly left the room. As he stepped through the door he waved his left hand and all the other people followed him out. They locked the door and they could hear the footsteps moving away, echoing down a corridor. Once they had gone Trip moved over to Marlaya and checked for a pulse. She began to cough, as blood was going into her lungs, a very small pool of blood had begun to form on the floor by the corners of her mouth where she lay. Trip helped her to sit up against the wall and did his best to nurse her wounds.

"Thought that was supposed to be a fight to the finish?"

"Triaan gets bored very easily." Her voice was hoarse from the pain. "He doesn't like an opponent that doesn't fight back."

"So you just take the brunt of all that torture?" She slowly nodded, her muscles all tense and in pain.

"I'm not one for fighting. Like I said earlier I wouldn't hurt a fly." Trip saw the blood begin to trickle down her chin and he wiped it away, but more kept trickling down from the corner of her lip. He then noticed the way she was holding her right arm. He took it gently in both his hands and Marlaya's face twisted as she winced in pain. Trip heard her take a sharp intake of air and knew that she was in a lot of pain.

"I'm gonna guess that arm is broken." He paused for a second, then he began to take his jacket off. Marlaya watched him.

"What are you doing?"

"What ever I can to help you." He said. Grabbing one of the arms of his jacket he began to pull, and very soon the arm was off. He then began to wrap it round her arm like a bandage. Suddenly she was in pain again. "Is that too tight?" Malaya shook her head, her face scrunched up.

"No. There's something in the pocket." He unwound the bandage a bit and opened up the pocket. He took out his communicator and put it into one of his trouser pockets. He then finished off the bandage and set to work ripping the other arm off his uniform. He checked the pocket to make sure nothing was in it and then tied it round Marlaya's arm and neck like a sling.

"There." He said sighing as he finished off his work. He leaned back a bit so he could have a better look at his work.

"How is that supposed to help?"

"Well hopefully you'll not put any weight onto the arm and make it any worse if it's like that." Marlaya smiled at him. "I'm afraid I can't do anything about the cracked rib though."

"How can you be so sure it's a cracked rib?"

"I know a cracked rib when I see one. Believe me I've been in situations a lot worse than this."

A couple of hours passed. Marlaya's head was resting against Trip's bare shoulder and she was sleeping. He had his arm round her shoulders to keep her warm and also as a sign of safety while she slept. From the other side of the door Trip heard footsteps. The door opened and light shone on the two figures propped up against the hard cold wall of their cell. Triaan and Jundar entered with several other men. Trip nudged Marlaya and she woke up, having to open and close her eyes several times to let them adjust to the sudden brightness.

"Stand up!" Triaan demanded. Trip began to move and helped his weak, injured friend up. Two men then moved forward and grabbed her dragging her to the side. Trip was about to stop them but thought better of it. "We shall see how well you fare in Yarkindo." Triaan said pointing at the human.


	5. You Never Said Anything About Weapons!

"I don't want to fight you."

"Believe me Commander you should fight. Cause if you don't you won't be released." Jundar called from the door. He wanted to watch the pitiful human fight their captain, and hopefully get killed, to give them the chance to kill Marlaya.

"And what about Marlaya?"

"If you win you will both be returned to your ship Enterprise. I have just been speaking with Captain Archer and that is the agreement we came to."

"And if I lose?"

"Then you will both die." Trip looked over at Marlaya. '_He's serious, I know he is._' Marlaya's face looked as if she was pleading with him to fight. Trip delved into his pocket, took out his communicator and moved over to his top. "What is that?" Triaan asked upon seeing the object in Trip's hands.

"It's nothing important." He replied and he placed it into a pocket, secretly opening it at the same time so that everything that was going on would hopefully be heard over on Enterprise. "I just want to clear everything up. If I win we both get released, and you will leave Marlaya alone?"

"That wasn't part of the agreement!"

"If I win Marlaya is to be left alone!" Marlaya was shocked at the tone of voice the Commander was using to protect her, he hardly knew her, yet he was going to be risking his life to save her. From that moment on Marlaya had a deep trust for Commander Tucker, a deeper trust than the one she had made when they first met in the prison camp almost 2 weeks before. "If you don't agree to that condition then we just don't fight."

"Very well. I promise to not bother her again IF you win." His voice filled with anger at the way more conditions were being made over Yarkindo. Yarkindo was not a sport to be bargained over for trading purposes but as pure entertainment, but with the intervention of these humans things were changing rapidly and Triaan did not like it.

"Good."

"So do we have a fight?"

"All right." One of the men then threw a sword to Triaan and he expertly caught it. He ran a finger along the edge of the blade to test it's sharpness. Trip looked around to see if anyone was going to give him one, but no one else wielded a weapon for him. "You never said anything about weapons!"

"That's right because it's only the one weapon so that's not important." Triaan then rushed forward towards the engineer with the sword ready to swing but Trip ducked out of the way and was soon behind Triaan. He quickly kicked his legs round Triaan making him fall onto the floor on his front. Trip then tried to grab the sword but Triaan rolled to one side. He was then able to swing the sword and it cut Trip's wrist. He yelled in pain as the blood began to seep out of the wound. As he tried to stop the bleeding Triaan was able to thrust the sword right through Trip's chest! Triaan had a wicked grin and he pulled the sword out. Trip fell on the floor onto his back, dead.

"No! Trip!" Marlaya screamed as she saw the Commander falling back. She tried to struggle from the grasp of the men holding her, but she was in so much pain, and their grip was tight. Triaan moved over and looked at her. He put a hand on her head, grabbed her hair and pulling back so that she was forced to look into the dark eyes of her enemy.

"You're friend is foolish, not a very good fighter is he?" he laughed a little and released his grip on her. "We'll kill her later. Let her watch him as he dies from blood loss." He laughed evilly and all the men left. As quick as she could she moved over to Trip, tears streaming down her face. She then noticed that Trip was still alive, but only just.

"Trip? Trip, can you talk?" She said as her tears fell onto Trip's body. As they splashed onto his skin one tear became many smaller droplets of water. Trip had never seen her cry before. On Hundaria IV even though she had been beaten like she had earlier she had never cried.

"I'm sorry Marlaya. I tried my best." He croaked. He moved one hand up and placed it on her cheek, Marlaya's free hand grabbed it so that it could stay there, he was dying and she wasn't sure whether she had the strength to do anything to save him. Tears flowed down her face. His arm suddenly relaxed, his eyes rolled back and his head fell limp to one side. He had died. At that moment Marlaya quickly put one hand over the entry wound. She closed her eyes, lifted her head upwards and began to concentrate. She had to try, even if it didn't work, she had to give it her best shot to save his life. After a few short moments a pale lilac glow began to show where her hand was. After a while she tilted her head forward and opened her eyes, which were also glowing. She looked at his chest and the wound had been sealed. Both her eyes and hand stopped glowing. She then quickly checked for a pulse. She sighed a huge sigh of relief when she found one. Marlaya then picked up Trip's wrist and did the same for the wound there. Once the glows had died down she slowly fell to one side and was unconscious. At that moment the two of them and the clothes that had been placed to one side of the cell, dematerialised.


	6. We'll Talk About It Later

Marlaya watched as a woman placed her hands over a man's body. Very soon a pale lilac glow began to show. The man lay on a bed and the room was small. The woman was wearing a beautiful gold head-dress and a rich red coloured dress, obviously she was a very important woman. The pale glow died down and the man sat up, smiling.

"Thank you Seejeah." He said, placing his hands ontop of hers and slightly bowing before her. Seejeah stood up and moved over to Marlaya, but she was younger, she looked more like ten years old, not nineteen.

"In time Marlaya when it is time for you to take your rightful place, you will have to do what I have done. You will learn one day." she said. her voice was calm and gentle, and it indicated she had a lot of knowledge and wisdom.

"Mother, there are so many things I still need to learn from you." Seejeah placed her hands on the young girl's head.

"In time Marlaya. In time" Very slowly the woman began to disappear, the man, the room, all her surroundings began to disappear.

"Mother! Come back! Please! Don't leave me!" she kept calling until everything was black and she was just standing in a void of blackness. She fell onto her knees and cried.

8 crewmen quickly brought the two of them into sickbay on two stretchers. Marlaya was placed on the sliding bed and went into the imaging chamber to find out just how bad her injuries were. After a few minutes John and Malcolm came in to see how doctor Phlox's patients were doing. Phlox was standing by a bio bed taking scans of Marlaya

"How are they both?" upon hearing the captain's voice Phlox turned round to him.

"Commander Tucker is going to be fine. There are no injuries that can kill him." He said putting the scanner away.

"But we heard Marlaya screaming, we were sure the fight was over." Malcolm pointed out.

"What about Marlaya?"

"Her injuries are bad. A cracked rib, broken arm and her synaptic brain patters are a bit alarming. If she had been brought to me any later I'm most certain she would've died from it."

"So, how do you explain Trip's condition?"

"I don't know. Marlaya was the last person to be with him awake, you'll really have to ask her."

"When?"

"In a few hours hopefully." He moved over to his medicine cabinet and began to fill a hypospray with a clear liquid. He moved back over and injected it into Marlaya's neck. Coughing was soon heard from behind some curtains, the three men moved over to them to find Trip had begun to wake up.

"Cap'n?" He said as he opened his eyes to stare into the face of the Captain.

"How are you feeling Trip?"

"Like I should be dead." He put his hand up to his chest where the sword had gone in but found nothing. "How long have I been here?"

"A few minutes."

"But, the sword. It went right into me. I was sure I died!" Trip said stunned, shocked and completely confused. "Where's Marlaya?"

"She's resting. She's been unconscious since we beamed her onboard." Malcolm explained to his good friend.

"I suggest that if you're going to go straight back to work you take things slowly."

"Sure." He sat up and realised that his wrist was no longer hurting. He looked at it and realised no slash mark. John saw the odd expression Trip was showing on his face as he looked at his wrist.

"Something wrong Trip?" John looked at Trip with a puzzled look on his face.

"Triaan had managed to cut my wrist with his sword, that's what gave him the opportunity to thrust the weapon into me." Trip looked up at his friend. No one had an explanation to anything Trip was saying. Maybe Trip had hallucinated the whole thing. Maybe he had caught a virus or something or he had been captured by aliens who had some advanced technology which could probe into the mind of the victim producing circumstances and that fight had all been in his head, but it was highly unlikely cause the pain from the sword had felt so real.

"I think you should have the day off Trip." John said as he placed a hand on his companion's shoulder.

"Thanks Cap'n. I think I will" John and Malcolm turned and left. Trip stood up and moved over to where Marlaya was lying on a bed. Several hours later and John came back to sickbay. He saw that Marlaya was sitting up on the bio bed, Trip was no where to be seen.

"Captain." Marlaya said with a slight nod as he approached her.

"How are you?"

"I'm all right thank you sir." But the way she said it forced him to realise that she was lying to him. The fact that Trip wasn't with her had proved that as soon as he had come though the door.

"Where's Commander Tucker?" Marlaya looked away from him.

"I think he's in his quarters." Seeing the look on Marlaya's face told Archer that they had had an argument or something like that.

"What's happened?"

"I was explaining to him how his wounds have healed so fast."

"And?" He said as he sat down on the biobed next to Marlaya.

"Some Tarnisians are born with the natural ability to be able to heal people. But only very few people could do it. I think the odds were something like every 5 in 60 million could. The way to know if someone has the ability is just to look at their eyes and see if they're a pale lilac colour, like mine are. People like me were called Peasos."

"Can Peasos heal themselves?"

"Yes, but only in certain circumstances."

"Like…?" Archer slightly cocked his head to one side and waited for her reply.

"Like if they were life threatening such as cracked ribs."

"So why didn't you?" sensing confusion in Archer's voice, Marlaya tried her best to explain things, even though she wasn't quite sure of the answer herself.

"I can't. I've never understood why, but I've never been able to with injuries like that on myself. I always believed I was too young be able to have the concentration and the energy, experience and confidence to do it, but I knew someone who was 5 years younger than I was and could still do it. My family never understood the reasoning either. And Trip certainly hasn't. He only know up to the part that it's 5 in 60 million who have the ability."

"So, what made him leave after that?"

"I don't know. I think maybe he's just shocked by the whole experience, cause he was dead, for a few minutes while I was healing him."

"I'm sure that after he's had a good rest he'll feel better. Are you hungry?"

"No thank you sir." Maralaya shoock her head, her hair waved as her head moved. John nodded his head, turned and began to leave. "Captain!" Marlaya quickly called after him. he turned back round to look at her. "What's going to happen with me? I mean where am I going to go? I don't have a home or a family any more." John had no reply to her question and he was struggling to think of things to say.

"Get some rest." He finally said. "We'll talk about it later." Marlaya just nodded her head knowing that a decision had not yet been made. She didn't want to leave Enterprise. She liked it, she liked the crew, she like the captain, but most of all she liked Trip. Archer smiled at her and left.


	7. I See Your Point

A few minutes later and Malcolm came in. He took Marlaya to some quarters on C deckwhere she could rest more comfortably.

"This should feel a lot better than being in sickbay with the Doctor's animals." Malcolm said as the two of them entered, letting Marlaya go in front of him.

"Thank you Malcolm." She said taking off her jacket and placing it on the bed.

"Now, if you need anything just press this button and call for either Commander Tucker or myself. Ok?" Marlaya nodded her head with a slight smile as she watched her the armoury officer was pointing. she quickly took note of where the control panel was. "Is everything all right?" Malcolm asked slightly cocking his head head to one side.

"Yeah. I was just thinking, I could've been killed yesterday. Trip could've been killed."

"Well, the good thing is that you're both alive." Marlaya nodded. Malcolm began to leave.

"Malcolm!" He turned back round to her. "What should I do if I get hungry or thirsty?"

"Call for me and I'll show you to the Mess Hall."

"Thank you." Malcolm was about to leave, but turned round holding a finger up in the air.

"Oh, I've also been asked by Captain Archer to tell you that at 18:00 hours he'd like you to join him for dinner. So I'll come at get you at 17:50." Marlaya just nodded her head again, Malcolm turned to leave then suddenly though of something else. "Actually. I'll come for you 17:00."

"Why the hour to get me down to the Mess Hall?" Marlaya was confused. she knew she was a slow walker, but she wasn't that slow.

"You'll need something to wear. No offence, but the clothes you have aren't exactly clean or suitable to wear to have dinner with the Captain." Marlaya looked down at her dirty ripped clothes, then back up at Malcolm a small smile covering her face

"I see your point."

"Our quartermaster is a very good man, the best there is in Starfleet, I'll alert him that he'll have a customer later on so that he can get ready. Any particular colour you'd like?"

"Blue."

"Ok. I'll see you later." He said smiling and he finally left. Marlaya sighed. She now realised that she also liked Malcolm quite a lot. But now she was getting worried that it was more than just friendship she was feeling for the two men. Was she really in love with them? '_If mum was here she'd know what was going on_.' She thought to herself. She sat down on the ground and as best she could, she began to meditate. She stayed in the same position for a long time. Even when the door chimed she didn't notice until it chimed again. She came out of her meditative trance and became alert to the world around her.

"Come in." She said as she stood up. Malcolm entered, popping his head round the corner then fully entering the room. When she saw it was Malcolm she smiled at him. "Hello Malcolm."

"You ready?"

"Is it really 17:00?"

"Yes. You must've been asleep for a long time to not notice the time."

"Yeah." The two left the quarters, Marlaya picking up her jacket as she left and Malcolm put it over her shoulders. They made their way to the quartermaster's room. He began to make a dress. Once it was finished Malcolm was stunned into silence. She looked so beautiful he could hardly recognise her.

"Well, Lieutenant, what do you think?" Asked Vinnie the quartermaster as Marlaya stood before him.

"She looks beautiful." Malcolm replied, sunned.

"Well, come back tomorrow and I can make you some more new clothes, more casual ones for going round the ship. i'll also patch up these clothes ready for you tomorrow."

"Thank you Vinnie." She gave him a light hug and a kiss on the cheek and instantly he began to blush. Malcolm smiled when he began to notice Vinnie's cheeks going red.

Trip and John were in the Captain's Mess waiting for Malcolm and Marlaya to arrive. Both men were staring out at the stars.

"I wonder what's taking them so long. Malcolm's never usually late."

"He did tell me that he was gonna help Marlaya out with something, but he was very secretive as to what it was." The door chimed and the two men looked at each other with a slight smile.

"Come in." John called. They turned round to see Malcolm and Marlaya standing there. Both men were silent, and stood opened mouthed at the sight in front of them.

"Wow." Trip said quietly to himself. Malcolm was smiling at the two superior officer's reaction. Marlaya stood there smiling shyly. Her dress was a very pale blue and just like her jacket that Vinnie was currently repairing it was floaty, all the way down to her ankles, small pink flowers lined the bottom of the dress. It was a kind of dress that Marlaya had often seen Tarnisians in. It was the style that was worn by women at weddings and one she had always loved. Vinnie had also had the time to be able to tie her hair back into a bun, with the center hanging down. The steward was standing by the door with the trays of food and they were getting cold. Malcolm noticed him.

"Captain. I believe we should sit down before our meal gets too cold."

"Of course. Please." John indicated a seat for Marlaya to sit down in "I had no idea that Vinnie could make anything like that."

"How's the arm?" Trip asked, not having seen her since the morning when she was explaining about her ability.

"It's getting there. It doesn't hurt as much now. One reason why I'm not wearing the sling cause it wouldn't look right with the dress." She smiled as she looked at her arm, remembering how it had gotten like that. she remembered the evil glint in Trianns eye just before every punch.

"It's stunning. Is it a Tarnisian design?" John said as he studied it very carefully.

"Yes it's a traditional wedding dress design, one I've always liked, but when I was taken to the prison camp I thought I would never have the chance to wear one."

"Well I'm pretty sure it's safe to say you will get that chance in the future." The steward placed the trays of food in front of each of the four people. "Looks delicious. Tell chef I said thanks." Trip said as he picked up his cutlery.

"Of course sir." The steward replied and scurried out. They began to eat their meal. Marlaya carefully placed the napkin over her dress as she didn't want it to get dirty after Vinnie had only just made it. each of the four members had the same dish - Chicken Kiev with Chips and salad. Marlaya had never eaten chicken before so she was eager to try it.

"I want to tell you the real reason I wanted you here. Firstly it's the first evening that you've been awake on this ship and it felt right to have you as a guest here. Secondly. Commander Tucker and I have been thinking carefully about the question you asked me earlier." Marlaya stopped eating her food at the mention of her earlier question. She didn't know quite what to expect. Was he going to say that she had to leave Enterprise, or was he going to say that she could stay? "I've also had to speak to Admiral Forrest about you. He's the commander of Starfleet. The one that makes all the decisions. And he said that there is a place open for you at the Academy if you wanted it." Marlaya looked at him. It was what she had feared. She was being asked to leave Enterprise.

"And what if I said no?"

"Well, we're doing our very best to see if there are any Tarnisians alive anywhere, if there are, we'd take you to them. I know you said you couldn't sense any of them, but that doesn't mean to say there aren't doesn't it."

"Yes sir." She slowly nodded her head whilst looking at the plate of food in front of her. So whatever Marlaya decided she would have to leave Enterprise. "And what if you can't find anyone?" sheenquired as she toyed with a chip at the end of her fork.

"We'd take you back to Earth where I'm sure we can find a foster family for you." Marlaya didn't really like the way this conversation was going. "Being on Enterprise is a very dangerous place Marlaya, you've already been taken off the ship once, what's there to stop that from happening again. And from what Trip told me in your fight with Triaan you don't know how to defend yourself."

"A princess is always told never to get involved in fights and is never taught the art of fighting. It is forbidden for me." Malcolm could tell that tears were beginning to form in her eyes.

"Maybe we should talk about this tomorrow."

"What difference will a night make in deciding my future? Being on Enterprise has been the happiest thing that has happened to me in four years, and you just want me to throw that happiness away by asking me to leave?"

"I'm not asking you to leave."

"But whether I don't want to join Starfleet or I do I will have to leave Enterprise and I may never return. Malcolm I wish to go back to my quarters." Malcolm stood up.

"Marlaya please just listen to me." Marlaya got out of her chair and stood round the back of it.

"You can't keep in here against my will." Archer just watched as Malcolm led Marlaya out of the Captain's Mess. Trip massaged his forehead.

"I knew this is how she'd react. I've let her get too attached to me." It was true, Trip had become evry attached to the young girl. He even thought be had begun to treat her like she was his own kid.

"It's not just you Trip. It's Malcolm as well." John took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "What are we going to do Trip?"

"I dunno sir. I don't know." The two of them just looked at each other.


	8. I Hope You Don't Snore!

Malcolm walked Marlaya back to her quarters in silence. They soon arrived and Malcolm let Marlaya go in first. She turned round to Malcolm who was staying at the door.

"I'll come and see you in the morning if you want."

"Malcolm, could you stay with me tonight? I might feel better if you did, after the way I spoke to Captain Archer." Malcolm was about to say no, but he thought for a second. She was young, hardly knew anybody and hadn't had a very good few days. He looked at her, from her head to her toes. She looked stunning in that dress, how could he say no? He sighed slightly.

"Of course I can. Let me go and get a change of clothes. I'll be back in a few minutes." Marlaya nodded. "Princess?" he asked slightly cocking his head to one side.

"My mother was the Queen of the Tarnisians, upon her death I would take over her place as Queen, but there isn't anything for me to rule anymore." Malcolm put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll be back soon." He walked off down the corridor and was soon out of sight. Marlaya moved into her quarters, slipped out of her dress and let her hair down. She like the way her hair fell over her shoulders whenever she let it down. She hung the dress up in the wardrobe. She noticed that Vinnie had been round while she was out at dinner and had mended her blue floaty jacket and had brought her some night clothes. They were neatly folded on her bed. She slipped into them and they fitted perfectly. Like Malcolm had said Vinnie was the best there was in Starfleet. She began to brush her hair with a hairbrush that she guessed Vinnie had also brought down. Her blue streaks began to shimmer as she brushed them in the light of her quarters. She had a little wander around the rest of her quarters and examined everything taking note of where everything was. The door soon chimed and it was Malcolm. He had gotten changed in his quarters and he was wearing a black cotton top and trousers, making up his pyjamas. In his arms he had a bundle of blankets, bed sheets and a pillow. He also had his uniform tucked under his arm as well, ready for the morning.

"I'll make up my bed on the floor." He said as he placed the things on the floor

"Just one thing Malcolm." Malcolm straightened up and looked at her.

"What's that?"

"I hope you don't snore!" The two of them laughed. It lifted much Malcolm's heart when he heard the young Tarnisian laugh and to see her sweet smile. "How old are you?" she asked as she helped Malcolm to make up the bed.

"I'm 34."

"Who rule's your planet... What is it called…? Earth?" Malcolm nodded his head as he spoke.

"Well quite a lot has changed about our planet. We have several different countries on our planet. I'm from a country called England, most of the crew is from a country called America. Hoshi is from a country called Japan."

"I've noticed that you do have a different accent from most of the crew."

"That's how you can tell which country a person is from, by their accent." For the rest of the evening Malcolm introduced Marlaya to the different accents of Earth, saying a certain phrase in a particular accent, he did French, German, Russian, Italian. He even tried to do a Chinese accent, but it didn't work out too well. At least Marlaya was a little happier now and had completely forgotten about the meal.

When Marlaya woke up the next morning she found herself lying on the floor next to Malcolm, a sheet covering her. She must've dozed off while they had been talking the night before and Malcolm probably didn't want to try and move her because she had looked so peaceful sleeping there with her hair all smooth and soft. She sat up but immediately put her hand on her stomach. Sensing that something was wrong she stood up, got dressed and left Malcolm to continue sleeping as she moved off to find her way to sickbay. But very soon she got herself lost and found herself by the transporter, she knew instantly that she wasn't going the right way. She stopped and lent up against the wall. Hoshi soon came out of the turbolift further along the corridor and noticed that Marlaya wasn't looking so good.

"Marlaya?" She called as she moved over towards her. "Are you all right?"

"No. I'm trying to find my way to sickbay." Hoshi took one of her arms and began to lead her off towards the turbolift.

"I'll show you where it is." She said as she put her other arm around Marlaya's shoulder's to help her along.

An hour or so later and Archer entered sickbay to get a report from Doctor Phlox. He was quite surprised to see Marlaya sitting on a bed and Phlox taking scans of her.

"Is everything all right?" Phlox looked up, Marlaya didn't move, not after what had happened last night.

"I'm just giving her a check up just to see how the arm and ribs are doing." But Archer didn't look too convinced at Phlox's reply. He took doctor Phlox over into a corner, their voices going low into a whisper.

"Are you sure that's everything?"

"I believe you are familiar with Doctor Patient confidentiality Captain." Phlox stated. John nodded his head slowly. He then moved over to Marlaya.

"I'd like to apologise for anything I said to you last night that offended you, I hadn't realised that you were a member of royalty among your people. Trip explained everything to me."

"It's not your fault captain.I was the one beling a little out of line." John noticed that Marlaya was holding her stomach with one hand.

"Tummy ache? It wasn't the food last night was it?"

"No sir." Marlaya said shaking her head, she still wouldn't look up at the captain.

"I don't suppose you've seen Malcolm have you? He was meant to report for duty 2 hours ago and he hasn't turned up. We've tried to contact him but we haven't got any reply." Archer said turning away just to glance at the screens placed around sickbay.

"He's probably still my quarters then." Archer turned suddenly to look at her. "I wanted him to stay with last night and so he did. I left him sleeping about an hour and a half ago." John was now very concerned about the length of time Marlaya had been there for just a check up.

"Marlaya, I'd like to help you, but if you're not telling me anything then I can't." He put a hand on her shoulder and at that moment Marlaya looked up at him.

"I'm pregnant." She said and John was very shocked, he didn't know what to say.


	9. Have You Lost Something Lieutenant?

Back in Marlaya's quarters Malcolm had woken up and got changed into his uniform and he was now going round the ship trying to find Marlaya. He had checked engineering, the Armoury, the Mess Hall, the gym but hadn't found any sign of her. He soon came across Hoshi walking along a corridor and she noticed the hurried way he was walking.

"Have you lost something Lieutenant?" Hoshi asked as he passed him.

"Do you know where Marlaya is?"

"Yeah I took her to sickbay about an hour ago."

"Sickbay? Is she all right?" Malcolm was concerned for her, '_has she tried to commit suicide after what happened last night?'_ He thought.

"She looked really pale and seemed to be holding her stomach, at first I though it might have been a tummy ache but her movements suggested otherwise."

"Thanks Hoshi." Malcolm quickly moved off and jumped into the nearest turbolift to go down to E deck where sickbay was situated.

&&&&&

"This didn't happen last night did it?" Archer asked getting a bit annoyed that Malcolm may have done something to her while she was not in a very happy mood and knowing that she can't fend for herself.

"Oh no sir, I can promise you nothing like that happened between Malcolm and me." she said shaking her head. She would've known if he had done anything like that, besides it didn't happen that quickly.

"How long have you been pregnant for then?"

"About a month." Phlox replied taking a few steps closer to them.

"That means you would have conceived it at the prison camp. Did anything like that happen while you were there?"

"No sir. All they ever did was beat me up they never did anything like that. I guess it's possible that they injected what was needed into me when I was unconscious." Malcolm had entered while Marlaya was giving her explanation to Captain Archer, neither of them noticed. Seeing John, Malcolm decided to stay back and out of the way.

"So it is half Tarnisian and half Gregtarnan?"

"No. It's a full Tarnisian." Phlox replied Malcolm was getting confused by the conversation and decided that if he was going to get some answers he would have to step in, but hearing footsteps behind him John turned round to see his Armoury officer, Marlaya looked at him too.

"Yes Malcolm?"

"I've been looking for Marlaya sir. I was a bit worried when I woke up this morning and didn't see her."

"Is that why you're late for duty?"

"Yes sir, partially that and also partially the fact that I wasn't in my quarters where my alarm clock is."

"Captain. I think it's safe to say that the reason the baby will be full Tarnisian is that… 1. Before they destroyed my homeworld they got what they needed from a male and put it into status ready for when it could be used, or… 2. There is a Tarnisian male alive most likely back on Hundaria IV." As soon as Malcolm heard the word 'baby' he was in shock.

"Did you sense anyone else there?"

"No. I was in so much pain most of the time that I really couldn't concentrate on things like that."

"Baby?" the curious tactical officer asked. John took a deep breath and looked at Marlaya.

"I'm pregnant." She replied. Malcolm stood there his face a blank expression, like he was a doll waiting to have his lips and eyes painted on.

"Are you going to keep it?" John asked her.

"Captain, if this is a chance to revive my species then I have to. I can't destroy it and watch my people die. I have to keep it, it's my obligation."

"How long are Tarnisians pregnant for?"

"6 months. But captain, I don't know how to look after a baby. At the palace I lived at we had maids who would do that kind of thing for us." Marlaya ran her hand through her hair, tucking it out of the ways of her eyes.

"We'll help you."

"What?" '_Is this the same man I was talking to last night?_' she though, last night the only options Archer was giving her ones that involved her leaving the ship - now he was saying to stay!

"We'll help you look after the baby."

"But you said last night no matter what I say…" Archer quickly interrupted what she was saying, wanting to forge the past.

"But now the circumstances have changed. You're going to need to be with people you can trust. We can't send you off to some people you've never met before and give birth while you're with them, that just wouldn't be fair. We know a lot more about you than anyone else we know. You're staying on Enterprise, and that's an order." Marlaya looked into John's eyes and smiled.

"Thank you captain."

"Do you want me to tell Commander Tucker what's going on?"

"No, I think it would be best for the moment if it was kept between just the five of us."

"5?" Malcolm asked wondering whether Marlaya had miss calculated.

"Phlox, Captain Archer, Yourself, me and I suppose you'll have to tell Admiral Forrest what's happening." Archer smiled slightly. Marlaya was becoming quite a bright young woman. She would make a fine addition to Starfleet if she ever did finally did decide to join once the baby was born and a bit older.

"Yes I will. I'll let you tell others in your own good time."

"I'd appreciate that Captain, thank you." Archer then turned to his chief of security officer.

"You can stay with her today if you want Malcolm."

"Thank you sir." Malcolm smiled

"But that doesn't excuse you for being late on duty this morning." His smile quickly vanished when Archer's voice was raised a little in slight anger.

"I'm sorry sir. I'll try and make sure it doesn't happen again." John turned and left, giving Malcolm the chance to move over next to Marlaya and hug her, giving her comfort in her time of need. All four of them knew that things were going to get tough with her. Keeping her pregnancy undercover for too long would also be hard as people would begin to notice a bulge appearing, and if it was kept secret for too long people would begin to wonder that either Malcolm or Trip was the father, creating rifts between the crewmen.


	10. The Baby Hasn't Got 2 Hearts Has It?

A couple of days later and Marlaya was walking along a corridor towards the Mess Hall. Trip soon came round the corner.

"Good morning Trip." Trip looked and saw the familiar happy face of the young alien guest they had on board. He walked over to her and gave her a light hug upon greeting her.

"Hey. I haven't seen you for a few days. You been trying to avoid me or something?"

"No, I've just been a little busy, check ups about my arm and ribs."

"How are they?"

"They're fully healed now thankfully." She said nodding her head and smiling slightly. She was still deciding whether she should tell Trip what had happened to her.

"And these check up take a day?"

"No. Not for that, but I've had to meditate a lot recently and that takes time." Trip looked at her with a little confusion showing on his face. '_Meditation? Since when has she needed to meditate? And why?_' he was thinking to himself.

"Meditate?"

"All Tarnisian females have to when they're in the condition I'm in." Marlaya now knew she had to tell him because the conversation was going that way. She couldn't keep it secret for long. How was Trip going to react when he hears that she's going to have a kid? Will he be pleased for her, or will he not want to know her anymore, after all she was just a kid really, still quite young to become a mother.

"What kind of condition is that?" Marlaya moved out of the way as a crewman walked passed the pair of them. Noticing they were kind of blocking the corridor they moved off and soon found they were in the gym, no one else was in there. "Well, what kind of condition are you in?"

"A couple of days ago, the morning after that meal with Captain Archer…"

"The night you spent with Malcolm?"

"How'd you know about that?" Marlaya asked surprised. She thought that bit of information had only been kept between herself, Malcolm, Archer and Phlox.

"Malcolm told me why he was late for our meeting that morning." Marlaya nodded her head realising that Malcolm had to tell Trip where he had been. He couldn't exactly lie to a superior officer.

"Well, that morning I found out that I was pregnant." Trip looked at her, his eyes wide with shock thinking about Malcolm and Marlaya sleeping together. Marlaya noticed his expression and decided to quickly explain a couple of things to him. "Malcolm isn't the father, I've been pregnant for a month." Trip's face relaxed slightly at the sound of that.

"Well, I guess that's good news. The Tarnisian population might stand a chance of surviving. Marlaya sighed a bit, relieved that he was pleased for her, slightly. She wasn't so sure why she was worrying about his reaction. Part of her knew that this was how he was going to react. "So why do you need to meditate?"

"It helps to pass on information to the baby ready for when it's born. Things like how you can learn to walk, how to start speaking, what different cries can mean and how you get the message across to your parents."

"That's quite amazing." Marlaya started moving around the gym inspecting all the equipment. "Thanks." She turned round to face Trip. "For saving my life."

"You've been the best friend I've had. If I didn't try to heal you I know I would've regretted it." She said as she leaned against the handlebars of one of the exercise bikes. It was true that Trip was her best friend. Everything that Trip had done for her, helping her out when Triaan had been fighting her, making friends with her at the prison camp, and generally making her feel happier. In a way when Marlaya looked at Trip, she saw her father. In such a short space of time Trip really had become like a father to her.

"But you did do it, and it worked, and if it weren't for you I wouldn't been standing here right now." Marlaya smiled. Something about that smile made Trip move closer to her, something about the young Tarnisian made Trip kiss her on the forehead and the two of them were hugging. Marlaya knew that Enterprise would be a safe place to bring up her child with such good friends around her.

2 months later and Marlaya was halfway through her pregnancy, three months until Enterprise would have a baby on board. Marlaya was sitting on a bio bed in sickbay while Phlox took scans of her. Malcolm was with her waiting for the news about how the foetus was doing. Phlox was looking rather puzzled at the results of the scans he was getting.

"Is there a problem with it?" Malcolm asked, not standing the silence any longer.

"I'm not sure. I'll need you to go into the imaging chamber to be certain." Marlaya jumped off the bed and lay down on another one. It slid into the imaging chamber and the door sealed. Inside the bright lights began to flash, so Marlaya just closed her eyes to relax. Phlox began to look at the pictures coming up on the big screen. Malcolm looked at them too.

"The baby hasn't got two hearts has it?" Malcolm said noticing that there were three heart beat patterns, one belonging to Marlaya.

"No." Phlox replied. "I believe Marlaya is going to have twins." Malcolm looked at him giving him an '_are-you-serious?_' look. He pressed a button and the bed slid out, she sat up waiting for anything Phlox had to say.

"Well?"

"I believe you're expecting twins." Marlaya was in shock. At first she was going to have to look after one child, and that would've been hard enough, but twins? She had no idea how she was going to cope with twins.

"How common is it for Tarnisians to have twins?"

"Not very. The odds of that happening are more remote than the odds of being a Peaso." She took a deep sigh. "We'd better tell Captain Archer."

"I'll take you up to him, that's if she's ok to leave?"

"Of course." Phlox said smiling cheerily.

"Thanks." With Malcolm's help Marlaya slid off the bed and they left sickbay.

Up on the bridge John was sitting in his chair waiting for something to happen. Nothing exciting had happened on the ship since Trip and Marlaya returned from the Tarnisian battle cruiser. Soon Malcolm and Marlaya appeared at the side of the bridge.

"Good morning captain." Archer turned round and saw her with Malcolm. He began to smile.

"Hello Marlaya. How are you today?" He asked getting out of his seat and moving over to them.

"I've just had a check up with doctor Phlox about the baby."

"And is it doing well?"

"Well, I should really now be saying '_babies'_." Travis, Hoshi and T'Pol all turned round to look at Marlaya. Hoshi and Travis then looked at each other smiling.

"You're going to have twins?" John asked with a huge smile on his face. Marlaya nodded her head. "Congratulations."

"Thank you sir."

"Any ideas yet about names?"

"I'd prefer to wait until they're born before deciding that."

"Of course. We can't rush things like this." Everyone, except T'Pol was smiling. They were now just going to hope that nothing would go wrong.


	11. Come In And See For Yourselves

3 months later and Marlaya was hanging up a glittery green dress that she had worn the night before to go off to movie night with Malcolm, in her quarters, but suddenly she got a sharp pain and held the bulge where the twins were inside.

"Oh god." She said to herself. She quickly moved over to the COMM panel and pressed a button. "Marlaya to Lieutenant Reed."

Down in engineering Malcolm was working with Trip on a new type of energy based signature weapon which had been suggested by Captain Archer. They had decided to call it an EBS weapon for short. It had only beenon the drawing board for a week and now they were actually making it.A voice over the COMM system suddenly alerted them.

"Marlaya to Lieutenant Reed." Malcolm moved over to the COMM panel by the door and pressed the button.

"Reed here. Is everything all right Marlaya?" he was wondering why she was calling for him and why she was sounding in pain.

"Come to my quarters, quick! I think the contractions have stared!" Malcolm quickly looked over at Trip and noticed everyone in Engineering starring at him.

"You'd better go Malcolm, she needs you." Malcolm nodded to acknowledge Trip's order.

"All right, I'm on my way." He quickly opened the hatch and left engineering, not having the time to close it behind him, so Trip closed it as he went over to it to hit the panel and contact John.

"Tucker to Cap'n Archer."

"Go ahead Trip." Came the captain's voice after a couple of seconds waiting for him to hit the button on the captain's chair.

"Sir, we've had to pause work down here for a while."

"What's the problem?" There wasn't any reason that Archer could think of for the suddenly halt in production and so he was slightly confused.

"We just got a call from Marlaya. She thinks she's her contractions have started." Hearing those few words that Trip was speaking surprised him, although not just him, it also surprised the rest of the people who were up on duty on the bridge.

"Let's hope they'll be all right. Meet me outside sickbay."

"Understood." Trip pressed the button on the panel, looked around engineering. "Rostov! You're in charge!"

"Aye sir." Trip opened the hatch and left, closing it behind him.

For 2 hours Trip, Hoshi and John were waiting outside sickbay for any news about Marlaya and the twins. Trip had done the most pacing back and forth out on the corridor and it had been annoying both John and Hoshi. They were beginning to wonder when Trip would have walked across the same section so much that he would fall through the deck plating and down onto the deck below. Soon the doors slid open and Phlox moved out.

"Well Doc?" John asked. Many questions going through his head. '_Is Marlaya ok?_' '_Are the twins ok?_' ' _Are they boys, or girls, or both?_' '_What am I going to have for dinner tonight?_'. The last time they had had a baby on board was when Doctor Phlox had created Sim from a symbiotic creature to save the ship and Trip's life.

"Come in and see for yourselves." They moved in. As they did they saw Marlaya holding a small bundle and Malcolm was holding another, both with smiles on their faces. there was also the sound of not one, but two babies crying.

"Boys or girls?" Trip asked as he moved over to them.

"Or both?" Hoshi quickly added. Marlaya and Malcolm looked up to see them.

"They're both girls." Marlaya, the proud mother, replied. She was quite tired, but wanted to stay awake just so she could see her own children.

"Ideas for names?" Hoshi asked stepping next to Malcolm to look at the child in his arms.

"Not yet. Any suggestions?" Trip moved closer to look at the child Marlaya was holding. She was being a bit quieter than the one Malcolm had, but was still crying.

"She has the healing ability." Trip suddenly declared. Marlaya looked at her daughters eyes and realised what Trip had said was true. The girl did have the pale lilac pupils. "Does that one?"

"No, she has blue eyes." Malcolm replied. Marlaya smiled slightly. but her smile washed away a few seconds later as she began to feel a slight pain in her head.

"Trip, could you take her?"

"Sure." Trip carefully took the baby from Marlaya and held her, she immediately stopped crying. Marlaya put her head in her hands.

"Is something wrong?" John asked putting a hand gently on her back.

"No. Something's right. I can sense a Tarnisian nearby."

"The babies?"

"No, a much older Tarnisian." Marlaya replied. A voice suddenly came over the COMM system.

"T'Pol to Captain Archer."

"Go ahead." he replied as he hit the COMM panel by the bed.

"We are picking up a vessel on long range sensors." Malcolm looked at him, John kept watching the babies the whole time he was talking to him science officer.

"Who?"

"We don't know. But we do recognise one bio-sign. A Tarnisian." Marlaya looked at John, raising her eyebrows in a way to say '_See I told you so'_.

"I'm on my way. Get a security team down to sickbay, just as a precaution. Trip."

"Hoshi!" Hoshi moved round and took the baby from Trip, then both men left sickbay. They both very quickly entered the bridge, Trip taking his place at Malcolm's desk. T'Pol stood up and moved out of John's seat as he entered.

"We're being hailed sir!" Called out the young man sitting at the COMM desk.

"On screen." An alien face quickly appeared on the screen in front of them and he began to speak.

"I'm very sorry for interrupting anything but our sensors indicated that you have 3 Tarnisians on your ship." The alien said, he appeared to be very pleasant, but John was still a little wary of him. He'd had past experience with aliens looking innocent and friendly and then turning out to be completely the opposite and after money. John's mind quickly reminded him of what had happened with Skalaar.

"And you are?" John asked very calmly.

"How silly of me. My name is Galahad. Captain of the Matollan ship K'Tar. Yourself?" Replied the alien, a Matollan. Matollan's did look a little strange. Their skin was slightly green in colour and their hair… well their hair seemed to be all over the place, sticking out, looking rather messy. The hair was also hinted green.

"I'm Captain Jonathan Archer of the Earth Vessel Enterprise. Our sensors also show you have a Tarnisian on board."

"Yes, we've been trying to find others like him for 5 years. We picked him up from an escape pod. He used to work on one of their Battle cruisers before some aliens overtook it and got control. You probably know what they're capable of."

"Yes, we've had our three for 5 months."

"We'd be happy to meet so that they can meet each other and so he can finally be with his own kind." John looked over at Trip looking for any assistance in what to do in the matter. Trip only gave him a look to say '_You're call but I'd be careful if I were you_.'

"All right. Dock with us."

"Very well captain." The Matollan disappeared and the screen went back to the view of the stars. John took a sigh and nodded at Trip for him to follow him down to the air lock.


	12. It's not an 'It' it's a her, Malcolm!

A few minutes later and John, Trip, the Tarnisian and the aliens entered sickbay. Upon hearing the doors slide open Marlaya looked up and immediately noticed the Tarnisian male standing there, he also noticed Marlaya.

"Ba'Dan!" She slid off the bed. Her eyes never looking away from those of the man who had just entered.

"Marlaya. You're alive!" The two were soon embraced in a hug, both now crying tears of joy and happiness.

"You two know each other?" Trip asked trying to understand what was going on.

"Marlaya is my sister." The Tarnisian male said. He gazed back into her eyes. "I'm so pleased to see you again."

"So am I." Ba'Dan was Marlaya's older brother. He had been born 7 years before she had been and so he had always been very protective over her, but when he had to join the battle cruisers he was always writing letters to her to see how she was doing, and making sure she wasn't getting into any trouble. When the Gregtarnans had boarded the cruiser he was on he was lucky to have escaped and also lucky that he had been found by these Matollan. The society of Tarnisians meant that no male of the royal family was allowed to be a ruler. Only the females, and so if ever there was a boy born into the family when he was old enough he would have to leave the planet and work on a battle cruiser to defend his family and home. For the rest of the population the males were just as important as any other and they had the same rights and privileges as the females.

"Who else is alive?" Curious to know who the other two Tarnisians alive were, hoping it was his parents, or his other sister, Lorella. Lorella was Marlaya's younger sister and she had always had such a kind and gentle spirit, born two years after Marlaya.

"No one that you would know Ba'Dan." Hearing those words caused him to realise that his parents were dead, and so was the rest of his friends and family. It was something he didn't want to hear, but he had.

"Why not?" Marlaya turned round and signalled for Hoshi and Malcolm to step forward with the two bundles. Ba'Dan just looked at them, words could not describe how he was feeling. Their little arms and legs slightly kicking, and their crying had now stopped.

"You're an uncle."

"Who's the father?" Galahad asked, curious and excited to see the babies.

"We don't know. It happened while she was at a prison camp on Hundaria IV about a month before we rescued her." John replied as he moved over to the baby Hoshi was holding, looking at it closely and seeing how beautiful she looked. The baby starred up at him and slightly smiled, John smiled back at her.

"How old are they?"

"Just a couple of hours." Malcolm replied. At that moment the young child in Malcolm's arms began to cry. Phlox quickly moved over with a feeding bottle and handed it to the Armoury officer. "You want me to feed it?"

"It's not an 'It', it's a her, Malcolm, and you are the one holding her. It'd be easier if you did." Malcolm looked at Marlaya and she smiled at him. Malcolm couldn't resist that smile and so began to feed the baby. "I think she likes you." Marlaya said as she watched Malcolm feeding her daughter, who appeared to be quite happy.

"Let's leave them alone. I'll show you around the ship." John said turning to their visitors and they all left. Trip decided to stay in sickbay and enjoy watching the little bundles of joy.

"What are their names?" Ba'Dan asked.

"I'm not sure yet. I had thought of Selaya, or Seejeah for one of them."

"Out of those two names I think Seejeah is the nicest." Replied Trip as he smiled down on the one is Hoshi's arms.

"It was our mother's name." Ba'Dan said as he began to picture what his mother looked like. Why Marlaya had been spared from the destruction no one knew, but at least he still had one sister alive, and now there were two girls. However it was most likely that they would never get children of their own and so then the Tarnisians will become an extinct race. Something which no one really wanted to think about, but it was hard not to.

"Seejeah it is then."

"For which one?" Marlaya looked hard at her two daughters.

"I think this one." She said pointing to the one Hoshi was cradling. "Seeing as my mum was a Peaso, it'll fit."

"And the other one?"

"I'm not sure." She paused for a moment thinking of a name. She watched as the young one fed from the bottle Malcolm was holding up to her mouth. "Avide." She finally announced, smiling.

"That's a nice name." Trip said. "Does it mean anything?"

"It's French for greedy!" Hoshi exclaimed, laughing a little. Malcolm looked at Marlaya and all of them laughed slightly.

"Malcolm." he looked at her upon hearing his name.

"What?"

"I've just realised. They don't have a cot to sleep in."

"Ah I'm sure my engineering team can fix one up for ya." Trip said putting his arm round her shoulders. Ba'Dan had moved closer over to Hoshi so he could see the young one. Ba'Dan had looked at Marlaya and had nodded to him, allowing him to hold his own niece. He carefully picked Seejeah up from Hoshi's arms.

"It's no problem?"

"Course not. Especially for you." Marlaya smiled as Trip slightly shook his head.

"Marlaya. Do you think Captain Archer will allow me to stay on board with you?"

""I don't see why he would say no. For 5 years I've thought I was the only Tarnisian left alive."

"Now you know there are four." Hoshi said.

When Captain Archer returned from showing the Matollans around he granted permission for Ba'Dan to stay, so the Matollans soon left and Enterprise gained a new passenger. For the next few weeks Malcolm, Ba'Dan, Phlox, Hoshi, Trip and Marlaya took it in turns to look after the twins, with the occasional John or T'Pol taking a shift here and there, teaching Marlaya what she needed to know about child care, and the children grew quite fast. A question Ba'Dan often asked was what was Marlaya going to say to the children when they asked about their father. It was something no one had really given any thought to, except Marlaya. She saw the way Malcolm handled being with them and he agreed to step in as the children's father.

When Marlaya and Malcolm were not on babysitting duty he took her down to the gym where she was given some basic fighting skills. She knew she would need them to protect herself and her daughters for the length of time she was going to be on Enterprise, which may turn out to be the rest of her life. The brother and sister were also given uniforms, as they both wanted to join Starfleet. Ba'Dan had chosen to join the COMM team and so he was given instructions by Hoshi. Marlaya had decided that security is what she wanted to do, which had surprised everyone. Admiral Forrest had decided that they could both have their training on Enterprise for a couple of years, and then go to the Academy for the final exams for another year.


	13. It's not your fault

4 months after the twins had been born Enterprise soon came to a planet and Captain Archer was leading an away team down to the surface. Marlaya hadn't left the ship since she had arrived and thought that some fresh air would do her some good. The shuttlepod landed in a field and the away team got out.

"Ok, let's spread out. Malcolm, Trip, Marlaya, you take west. T'Pol, we'll take east and you two will take North."

"What about south?" Marlaya called over to him.

"It's coast about a mile to the south, no point in going that way." He replied and the teams soon moved off. Trip, Marlaya and Malcolm soon came to a forest. It was quite a dense forest, but they decided to start trekking through it anyway, see if they could find anything of interest. As they were walking along Marlaya kept looked at her scanner. As they came close to a river something on her scanner caught her eye.

"Trip." she said quickly.

"What is it?" He said turning to look at her. She didn't reply, her face just starred at her scanner. Slightly cocking his head to one side he called for her. "Marlaya?" this time she responded.

"I thought I saw something on the scanner."

"What? A bio-sign?" Malcolm asked turning to the pair.

"I think so, I'm not sure. It was there for a slight second and then it was gone." she replied as she watched as Malcolm took out his scanner and began to look at it trying to see if he could see anything.

"You got anything?"

"No sir. The place looks empty" He looked between Trip and Marlaya.

"I was sure there was something. It may just be a glitch. Or maybe just my mind." She said shaking her head, but still keeping her eyes fixed on her scanner.

"Yeah, but still, keep your eyes and ears open." Marlaya and Malcolm nodded and they began to move forward. They had only moved a couple of meters when suddenly an electromagnetic surge sent Malcolm flying backwards and he slammed into a tree.

"Malcolm!" Marlaya quickly rushed over to him and helped him up. He was quite dazed and had a bit of trouble standing. He leant on Marlaya for support. Trip stayed starring. He carefully moved his arm forward and soon it hit the barrier. He quickly withdrew his arm in pain.

"Some type of energy shield. Must mean something's here!" He touched the barrier gently again, and withdrew his arm sharply as pain was sent through it.

"It's a force field." Marlaya called as the pair of them moved back over to Trip.

"Well we can't go any further." Trip looked at Malcolm and got his communicator out.

"Tucker to Archer."

"Go ahead Trip." Came the reply from John after a few seconds as he got his communicator out of his pocket.

"Err, Cap'n. We've run into something. We've come across an energy field of some sorts in a forest about 2 miles west of the shuttlepod." Trip said and he turned slowly round in a circle looking at his surroundings.

"It's a force field!" Marlaya said a little annoyed Trip hadn't taken any notice the first time she said it.

"We've come across one too. About 3 miles east of the landing site."

"Anything from the other two?" Malcolm asked as he went and picked up his scanner from over by the tree he hit.

"Not yet." While Trip was talking to John, Marlaya had scouted around the trees and soon found what she was looking for. A rock. She picked it up and hurled it at the forcefield. As it hit the forcefield Trip and Malcolm took a step back from it and looked at Marlaya. She watched where the electric pale blue ripples went and quickly realised what had happened.

"Captain, we've haven't found two forcefields." Marlaya called looking up at the sky.

"What do you mean?" John was confused by what Marlaya was saying.

"It's one, and we're inside it. It's like someone was waiting for us to come down. A trap. Activated when we landed." Trip raised an eyebrow at what Marlaya was saying. She was indeed quite a bright, smart young woman. What she was saying wasn't impossible. Trip looked at Malcolm who had also raised an eyebrow. They both smiled at each other noting the other one's expression.

"We'll meet you at the shuttlepod."

"Understood." Trip closed his communicator.

"Commander!" Malcolm suddenly called. They both turned to look where Malcolm was looking and there was a group of people with weapons pointing at them. There were about 5 men, each holding what looked like a plasma rifle and had a couple of knives stashed in their leather belts that they had round their waist. Each of them had short dark brown hair, a little lighter than Malcolm's. Their facial markings very similar to that of a human's except for the fact that on their foreheads each of them had a swirly pattern that was a greyish tint, and on their cheeks the pattern was repeated. The markings looked more like they were tattoos than facial features they were born with. They walked forward and walked right through the force field. Marlaya looked at her scanner quickly and realised that the biosigns had suddenly appeared. The people grabbed the three of them and pushed them back through the forcefield. They were led off to a settlement and into one building where they were taken to a room and left on their own. It was then obvious that the room they were in was some sort of prison cell.

"That's what I saw on the scanner." Marlaya said as Trip and Malcolm looked at her in bewilderment. "The scanner can't scan beyond the force field, what I saw wasn't a glitch but one of these people walking through the force field."

"They must've had some sort of device that alows them to walk through it." Trip stated and he looked around the room. there wasn't much. a couple of chairs, a table, what looked to be a bed... at least they wanted them to be comfortable. Malcolm looked at one of the chairs and sat down in it. his legs were getting a little tired after the tre they had taken to get there.Trip could see that Marlaya was getting annoyed with herself for letting this happen. "It's not your fault Marlaya. You weren't to know that something like this would happen." He said placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Well, it certainly feels like it's my fault." She moved away from Trip and his hands fell to his sides. The two men looked at each other with a look to say '_Women, can't live with them, can't live without them_.'

"Marlaya, would you just listen for a minute." Marlaya turned to face him. At that moment the door opened and they all turned to look at the men who had just entered. Malcolm stood up out of the chair and both he and Marlaya went to stand next to Trip. Each ofcaptors who had just enteredhad the swirly patterns of the forehead and the cheeks, and each of them carried the same weaponry as the men who had brought them here. One man carried a long pole. He moved forward so he was a few feet away from the prisoners.


	14. I thought you were just a myth

"Well, well, well. Three trespassers. Three humans. What are you doing on our planet?" He said toying with the staff he carried. It was black with a silver figure of a bird at the end. None of the three prisoners recognised what kind bird of it was. It must be one that is indigenous to the planet.

"Well seeing as you know so much about us, it's only fair we should know a little bit about you." Trip said trying to avoid the question.

"What were you doing on this planet?" One man had moved over towards Marlaya and was walking around her. She was uneasy about the fact she had a man eyeing her as he walked around her, but she kept her position and just watched how Trip was handling the situation.

"We were exploring. We're explorers. We didn't know that any one lived on this planet. You must've activated some kind of field that prevented our scanners from seeing anything." Suddenly the man walking around Marlaya grabbed her hair. Trip looked over to see what was going on. "Hey! You leave her alone!" The man holding her hair spoke up.

"Kosha! This one isn't human." The man who seemed to be the leader of the group, Kosha, moved over to her, with one hand he grabbed her chin, with the other he grabbed her arm, pulling her slightly closer to him while the other man kept a hold of her hair. "What species are you?" he let her chin go so she could speak.

"Tarnisian." The man let go of her.

"I have heard of you, but I thought you were only a myth." He placed the head of the staff under her chin so that he could inspect her even more.

"Maybe because there aren't many Tarnisians left alive." Trip called. He was hoping his intervention of Marlaya's interrogation would make the two men leave her alone.

"How many are left alive?" Kosha looked at him.

"Four." Trip said, keeping his posture up.

"Four hundred? Four Thousand?" Kosha questioned wondering what the 'four' meant.

"No. Just four." Kosha was in complete surprise. He even laughed a bit, and that angered the three of them.

"What are we going to do with her?" He said stroking her hair. Both Trip and Malcolm were getting annoyed with the way they were treating her. "Kosha?"

"Bring her with me, Dorn." Kosha turned to leave. Dorn grabbed Marlaya's arm and was about to start pushing her out of the room.

"What are you gonna do with her?" Trip asked. Kosha was nearly out of the door and he turned round to Trip in anger. He didn't often have prisoners ask him questions.

"That is none of your concern!"

"I think it is. She's a member of my crew. You will do nothing to her." Kosha moved over him.

"A member of your crew you say? Does that make you the… captain of your vessel?"

"No. I'm the commander. I'm second in command. And you are not going to do anything to any of us." Kosha then whacked Trip round the ribs using his staff and Trip fell on the floor in pain. Malcolm tried to run at him, but another of the men quickly ran to him and using his weapon as a barrier pointing at him stopped him from going anywhere near. Marlaya turned her head away from the torture, horribly being reminded of the day when he had had the fight with Triaan. Trip wrapped his arms round his body to protect his ribs ready for Kosha to hit him again, and he was about to. He raised the staff in the air ready to hit it round Trip's neck this time. Suddenly another man burst into the room, he looked a lot younger than the other men, and this young one didn't have the facial markings the others had, this then proved to Trip, Malcolm and Marlaya that they were markings given to them when they became older. Kosha lowered his weapon, madness flared in his eyes.

"Kosha!"

"What did I tell you? I said no interruptions!" He spun round in fury to look at the young one who had burst in stopping him from hitting Trip again.

"But 4 more aliens have been brought to the settlement. 3 are human one is a Vulcan female." Kosha looked at Trip.

"More of your crew?"

"Yeah. Trapped in your little force field you had set up." Trip managed to say between taking deep breaths. Kosha smiled.

"That worked well didn't it? 7 prisoners. 5 being humans and 2 others." He turned to the young man that had entered hurriedly. "Get them sent to the other room."

"Yes Kosha!" he was about to turn round when he noticed the young girl. He looked into her eyes.

"Get moving Nailos!"

"Yes sir." And he quickly scurried out avoiding the fearful stare of Kosha. The three prisoners noticed his actions.

"You'd better make yourselves comfortable. I'm sure you'll be here for a long time." And with that they all left. . With the interruption from Nailos they had completely forgotten about taking Marlaya with them. Malcolm helped Trip up and then moved over to Marlaya. He put his hands on her shoulder.

"Are you ok?" she just nodded her head. "What are we going to do now sir?" He said turning to Trip who was looking out of the window and pacing back and forth between the door and the window.

"I have no idea." He took a deep sigh. They were in that room for several hours. They tried to mess around with the window, but realised that the bars had electric currents running through them. Then they tried the door, but realised that if it was opened from the inside an alarm would sound immediately. After 4-5 hours of sitting in a corner Kosha and the others returned. The three friends stood up upon seeing them.

"Come here!" He said pointing at Marlaya.

"I told you that you weren't to do anything to her." Trip said stepping in front of her for protection.

"You are in no position to make compromises commander! Now come here!" Trip moved forward towards Kosha.

"And I told you. She's staying here." Trip said going right into his face. Suddenly without warning Trip punched him round the face. Malcolm quickly attacked one of the other two men and Trip attacked the other while Kosha was down. "Marlaya get out of here!" Marlaya looked at her two friends fighting, not wanting to leave them behind. "GO!" he shouted. Kosha tried to jump on her but she saw him advancing and quickly got out of the way. She then saw her chance and ran out of the door, darting out of sight.

"After her!" He screamed!" Trip and Malcolm continued the fight with the three captors. Marlaya ran along the corridors as fast as she could. As she turned a corner she was grabbed, a hand covered her mouth and she was pulled into a room kicking a screaming.

"Hey, it's all right, calm down, please." Marlaya turned round to face her attacker and realised it was the young one, Nailos. "I want to help you."

"Why would you do that?" She was breathing quiet heavily, trying to get her breath back after running so fast, and then after screaming a bit.

"Because I can help you escape. I can help all seven of you."

"Why would you do that?" Marlaya was confused

"Because I like you. My name is Nailos." Marlaya looked at him. He held out his hand and Marlaya looked at it, then at Nailos

"I'm Marlaya." She took his hand and shook it. Nailos moved over to the door and opened it slightly. Several guards ran past the door. He carefully closed it again once they were gone.

"You must follow me." He took Marlaya wrist and led her out down the corridor. They carefully looked round every corner they came to, to make sure no one would attack them. They made it out of the building and through the settlement and soon they were out in the woods. Nailos then suddenly turned round to go back to the settlement. Marlaya turned round and grabbed his arm, turning him round to face her.

"Hey! Wait a minute, what about my friends?" She said. Worry for her friends pounding in her head.

"I'm going back for them. But once your vessel leaves this planet it'll be in immediate danger. We'll have patrol ships up in the air waiting for you to shoot you down. You'll need to contact your ship. I'll go back for your friends." He began to run off. Marlaya watched him worried for him now. He was risking his life for these humans he didn't know.

"Nailos!" He turned back to face her. "Thank you. And good luck."

"Thanks." And he turned and disappeared. She suddenly realised that in her hand she had a small device. She looked at it and realised Nailos must've given it to her so she could get through the force field.


	15. A Dangerous Chase

Marlaya moved off. She soon came to the forcefield. She looked at the device and put her hand forward she took a deep breath.

"I hope this works Nailos." She carefully moved forward. She was quite surprised to find herself walking right through it. "Clever kid." She took the device off her hand and put it in a pocket. She then fumbled through her pockets looking for her communicator so she could contact Enterprise and explain to them what had happened. "Marlaya to Enterprise."

"Go ahead Marlaya." Travis responded.

"Travis, we've encountered a little problem here. We're going to need help when the pod leaves the planet." As she was explaining her little predicament she looked around her to make sure that there weren't any of the aliens waiting to recapture her.

"What kind of trouble?"

"There are aliens on this planet. They've got the others. I was lucky to escape. My helper has gone back to try and help the others."

"Marlaya, we need you up on Enterprise." Hoshi said.

"Why, what's wrong?"

"It's Avide and Seejeah. Something's wrong with them." Marlaya was now worried. Her daughters' lives were probably in danger, and there she was on a planet with no way to get to them quickly. Even though the communicator was working she knew that the transporter wouldn't work though the forcefield. Having grown up with technology like this she knew a lot about it.

"What?"

"Doctor Phlox doesn't know what's wrong with them." Suddenly a weapon shot hitting a nearby tree made Marlaya fall on the floor, closing the communicator as she hit ground. She then quickly scrambled up and began to run off, constantly checking behind her. Dodging trees, rocks, roots and weapons fire, but what she didn't realise was someone was waiting for her up ahead. She took a chance to glance back and when she turned round a wooden plank hit her in the head and she fell to the ground. A large open would just above her left ear, and it was bleeding badly. The others quickly caught up with her.

"You idiot! Kosha said he wanted her alive!"

"I'm sorry." He looked down to avoid their eyes as they shouted at him. All three walked off leaving Marlaya for dead in the middle of the woods with a fatal head wound.

At the pod the others had arrived but there was no sign of Marlaya. Trip was pacing back and forth as John spoke to Nailos.

"Where did you leave her?" John asked the young man who had helped them to escape.

"Back at the borders of the town." He replied, looking away from John's face. "I gave her a device to get through the forcefield. She should be here." he shuffled his feet uncomfortably. having been treated badly by Kosha and his other brothers he wanted get away from them and have a life away from brutal murder, constant beatings and torture.

"She's gotta be out there somewhere. Cap'n, we've got to go and find her." Trip was worried for her, more worried than anyone else was.

"I can make the search easier by powering down the forcefield. That way your ship would be able to locate her."

"Do it quickly." Nailos nodded and ran off. "How are you holding up T'Pol?"

"I am ok at the moment sir." T'Pol had blood dripping down from her forehead as in their struggle to escape she had hit her head against a wall. One of the other crewmen jumped into the pod and grabbed the med kit. He then began to gently clear T'Pol's wound up.

Out in the woods Marlaya was still lying on the ground. Not really moving. Her arms soon began to move and in lots of pain she was able to drag herself up onto her feet, leaning against the trees as she made her way through the wilderness, and it wasn't helping that it was beginning to get dark. She stumbled along getting weaker and weaker as she continued further into the woods, but she knew she had to make it back to the pod. She only hoped she was going in the right direction. She soon had to stop and leaned up against a tree for rest, but she knew she couldn't stay for too long because if she did she could fall asleep and never wake up. As she sat there she didn't notice the scaly creature sliding down the trunk towards her. It's forked tongue sliding in and out of its mouth every few seconds. She was about to move off when suddenly it attacked her. She screamed in pain as the snake dug its fangs deeper into her hand. The green and red snake soon withdrew, sliding along the ground and into the bushes, and left Marlaya feeling even weaker than she had before. She looked where she had the two puncture holes on the back of her hand and was now certain she would never be found. Her face now nearly covered in blood and sweat as the night got hotter and hotter, but still she stumbled along. Soon the venom from the snake began to work it's deadly poison on Marlaya and she collapsed on the floor nearly dead.

Nailos had managed to turn off the force field and finally Malcolm's scanner was able to scan further and Enterprise could also detect the settlement where the away team had been held captive.

"Malcolm? Anything?" Malcolm shook his head.

"No sir. I can't see her anywhere."

"Is it possible that she has been recaptured?" Trip suggested

"We can't rule anything out Commander." T'Pol replied. Soon John's communicator bleeped and he took it out of his pocket.

"Archer."

"Captain, we've located Marlaya. She's about 1 mile south-east of your position." Malcolm glanced at his scanner, pointing it in the direction Hoshi had indicated. He looked at John and shook his head.

"Malcolm hasn't picked anything up on his scanner."

"The signal is very weak sir. She maybe injured or something's blocking the signal." At the mention of that Trip suddenly ran off into the trees.

"Trip! Malcolm stay with him!" Malcolm nodded and quickly followed Trip. The two of them ran through the forest in search of her.

"Marlaya? Where are you?" Trip and Malcolm called as they made their way along through the dark forest, being very careful not to trip over anything.

"Commander!" Malcolm called as he nearly fell over a body at his feet. Trip turned back and found Malcolm checking Marlaya over. "She's very weak sir. We've got to get her to Phlox fast." Trip quickly picked her up and began to run back to the pod. As they came out into the field John was worried to see them carrying her. Nailos had made it back to the shuttlepod safely and he was going to go back with them, after helping the Enterprise crew escape he would surely be killed if he stayed.

"She's nearly dead, she needs help and fast!" Trip cried as he ran towards the pod and everyone jumped in. the pod took off and made its way back to Enterprise. But patrol ships were waiting for them and soon began to fire on the pod. John fired back, but just the plasma cannons weren't having much affect until the phase cannons from Enterprise kicked in knocking propulsion down on the vessels leaving the pod to make it back to Enterprise without further damage.


	16. The Road To Recovery

Because Marlaya's wounds were so serious both Trip and Marlaya skipped de-con and went straight to sickbay. He laid her down on a biobed and Phlox immediately began scans. Trip stood back so that Phlox could get on with things and hopefully help Marlaya. He looked over to one corner and noticed an incubator. He moved over to it and saw that the twins were in it, their heart beats being monitored on a screen on the wall. Phlox noticed the two teeth marks on the back on her right hand. He began to scan the area and quickly injected her with several different substances. Once he had done that he began to bandage up the hand. He also began to bandage up her head and linked her up to a drip, having taken a small sample of her blood to replicate so he could begin a blood transfusion to replace the lost blood. Once he had done what he could he turned to Commander Tucker.

"I've done everything I can for her now Commander. The rest is up to her to sort out." He reported. Trip stayed looking at the twins in the plastic incubator.

"What are her chances?"

"I can't say."

"What's wrong with the twins?"

"I don't know. It happened about 3 hours ago. I was taking scans of them while Ba'Dan was here and realised their scans are not normal, but I have no idea what's wrong with them. I have done what I can for them." Trip just sat in a chair, he was so worried about all three of them that he couldn't stand any longer. John, T'Pol and Malcolm soon entered, after Crewman Cutler had cleared them through de-con. Phlox took T'Pol to another bed so he could sort out her wounds. From her bed, she looked over at Marlaya.

"How is she?" She asked as Phlox began to wrap a bandage round her head.

"She has been bitten by a venomous snake and she has a fractured skull." Malcolm had gone and stood next to Marlaya, and he'd begun to stroke her hair. "I've given her the antidote for the venom, but I'm afraid there's not much I can do for her head. If she does regain consciousness it's very possible that she'll have some brain damage."

"What do you say her chances of survival are?" Archer asked sighing heavily looking at the two men that had been caring for Marlaya the most, Trip and Malcolm.

"Very slim. I suggest that no one enters sickbay for a while so that she doesn't have any disturbances." John nodded his head.

"I'll make it off limits. If everyone needs you you'll have to go to them."

"Understood."

"Captain, can I stay with her?" John faced Malcolm

"We may need you on tactical."

"But if Doctor Phlox does need to go out something could happen to her, someone will need to stay to keep an eye on her."

"It would be useful Captain." Phlox said as he put down a scanner onto a nearby table.

"All right. I'll put Ensign Hiller onto tactical for as long a necessary, I'll also put him in charge of security."

"Thank you sir."

"I'll send Trip down with food whenever you get hungry." Malcolm nodded his head. For several weeks Malcolm stayed in sickbay, keeping an eye on Marlaya. Even when enterprise was attacked by Klingons and Tactical Alert came on he wouldn't leave her side. He had to stay with her. Using Marlaya's blood and DNA, Phlox was able to synthesis a remedy for the twins and they made a full recovery. They were moved to Trip's quarters where they could be looked after. It was starting to look like Marlaya would never wake up again. It had been nearly three months since she received her injury and Malcolm had stayed with her no matter what. He cared about her, he was beginning to think that deep down he may even love her. Every day the crew prayed and hope that that day she would wake up and be as right as rain, but every day they went to bed knowing that she was still down in sickbay lying on that bed with Lieutenant Reed by her side.

It was about 11:00 hours on Tuesday the 5th April 2155 and Malcolm was looking at all the cages where Phlox had some of his exotic pets. An odd beep or two from the screen over Marlaya's bed sent Malcolm back over to her side. He watched her waiting for any movement. But nothing happened. But surely that odd beep meant something. Was he going to call Phlox to take some scans just to make sure, or was he going to wait a bit longer to see if anything would happen? He sighed and sat down on the chair. He decided he would wait. Maybe after being in a coma for so long it would take a long time for her to fully wake up. Maybe today was the day she would wake up!

10 minutes passed, then 20, then 30, then an hour, but still no movement from her, and no more odd beeps had been heard. Folding his arms on the edge of the bed, Malcolm placed his head in the man made pillow, hoping he could fall asleep.

"Malcolm?" The voice was very quiet, but enough for him to hear it. He jerked his head up to see that Marlaya's eyes were open! She had finally woken out of the coma.

"Marlaya! How are you feeling?"

"I have a terrible headache." She said finding it hard to talk. Malcolm clenched her hand in his and held it tightly. Tears had begun to fall down his face.

"I've been so worried about you."

"The twins?" she said trying to sit up. Malcolm put his hands on her shoulders and kept her lying down.

"They're ok. They're in Commander Tucker's quarters."

"How long have I been here?"

"About 3 months. We were lucky we got to you in time in those woods. Any longer and with that head wound and the snake bite and you would've died."

"What about Nailos?"

"He came back with us. He's been spending time with Captain Archer I believe. Now you just stop asking question, you'll need all the strength you can get to get you back on your feet again." Marlaya nodded. He stood up to move over to a COMM panel.

"Malcolm, who's Commander Tucker and Captain Archer?" Malcolm turned round to face her. His eyes filled with shock that she didn't even know who he had just been talking about.


	17. Remember

Malcolm didn't know what to say. That's when he realised the head injury had resulted in a small amount of brain damage. The fact that she could still remember him, the twins and Nailos was a good thing, but she didn't know who Trip was, which shocked him the most. He moved back over to Marlaya.

"Do you remember Phlox?" he asked as he gently placed himself on the edge of the bed. he placed a hand on her shoulder as she watched him. she was slightly confused as to why Malcolm was asking her the question, but she answeredit without and trouble.

"Yes. The Denobulan doctor." She nodded her head.

"I'll be back in a few minutes all right? You won't be on your own for long, I promise." He put his hand on her check and she slightly smiled at him. he stood up and turned to leave. That's when he saw Phlox walk in. "She's woken up! I'm off to tell the Captain."

"Why don't you do it over the COMM?" Phlox was fairly surprised at the news.

"She doesn't remember Commander Tucker or the Captain." He said and left. Phlox was slightly surprised at the Lieutenant's behaviour, but he moved over to his patient anyway. Hoshi was walking along the corridor from the Mess Hall to make her way up to the bridge when she saw Malcolm come out of the turbo lift.

"Lieutenant! Is something wrong with Marlaya?" seeing Malcolm walking around was confusing her. '_Surely if she had woken up he would've stayed with her_.' She thought.

"Hoshi, is the Captain and Commander Tucker still in the Mess Hall?"

"Yeah, I think so, having breakfast with T'Pol. What's going on?"

"No time to explain now!" And he ran off into the Mess Hall. Hoshi watched him disappearing round a corner and then continued on her way to her quarters. He quickly moved over to the door that led to the Captain's Mess, ignoring any calls from the rest of the crew that were in there. He pressed the doorbell on the panel. Inside Trip, T'Pol and John were finishing off their breakfast.

"Come in." John called as he heard the door chime. All three were surprised to see Malcolm come in. "Malcolm? Has something happened to Marlaya?" he was concerned for the welfare of his young friend. He put down the knife and food he was holding in his hand so that he was distracted whilst talking to Malcolm.

"She's woken up sir." Malcolm said. The hearts of the three senior officers having breakfast together rose and they all sighed.

"That's great! How is she?" John said with a slight smile.

"Well, it's half great. She can remember Phlox and myself, but she doesn't remember you or Commander Tucker. It appears she has some brain damage." John and Trip were slightly shocked at what Malcolm was saying.

"She doesn't remember me? How could she not remember me after all I've done for her? Everything we've been through."

"Trip, you've got to remember that Phlox said she could have brain damage." John sighed before asking his next question. "What did Phlox say about this?"

"I don't know. I left sickbay as soon as I knew to come and tell you and he was just entering as I left." Malcolm replied.

"I'll come back to sickbay with you. She may remember me if she sees my face." Trip was about to protest but John put his hand out to stop him. "Trip, you stay out of the way at least until she knows who I am." Trip looked away. He wasn't happy about the decision. "I know this is going to be hard for you Trip, it's going to be hard for everyone, but it would be easier…"

"Cap'n please. I know her more than you do. Please. Let me go and see her." John looked at Malcolm for a second then back at Trip. "Cap'n I'm beggin ya. I've got her kids in my quarters. She has a right to know how they're doing, if she remembers them." Trip said standing up.

"She does Commander." Malcolm quickly interrupted, helping Trip's argument without him realising it. Both John and Trip looked him then back at each other as Trip continued speaking.

"See! And I'm the one that's been with them most besides Doctor Phlox and Hoshi. Cap'n please, just let me see her, only if it's just for a few seconds."

"I said no Trip!"

The three men entered sickbay and Malcolm went straight over to Marlaya. John had finally let Trip come along, although he was not entirely happy with his decision. He was worried that if there were too many people she didn't know she may get stressed out and have more damage done to her than good. She was sitting up and Phlox had removed the bandage from around her head. Malcolm moved back over to her hand sat down on the bed next to her.

"See. I told you I would be back soon." Marlaya smiled and quickly noticed something standing a few meters away. She looked over his shoulder and noticed the two men standing near the door. Malcolm could tell she was looking at them.

"Malcolm. Who are these men?"

"They're Captain Archer and Commander Tucker. Don't you recognise them?" Marlaya looked from the men, to Malcolm's eyes then back to the men again. Something began to scratch at the back of her mind. She tried to push it forward, but it didn't want to seem to budge.

"Where are my daughters? I want to see them." She finally asked trying to look away from Trip who was very close to crying, but however much she tired her eyes kept wandering over to the Commander.

"I'll go and get them." Trip turned and headed for the door. Marlaya then suddenly remembered something. Trip was about to press the button to open the door when Marlaya's voice stopped him.

"Trip." She said. Trip turned to look at her and Marlaya looked at him. "Your name is Trip, isn't it?" Malcolm was beginning to smile.

"Yeah it is." He said, a smile also beginning to spread across his face. Marlaya then turned to look at John.

"Yours is John. You're the Captain of the Enterprise. Am I right?"

"Spot on." He said. All four men were now smiling at how well Marlaya was beginning to recover so quickly after waking up. For a few seconds Marlaya's face was straight and expressionless, but seeing the men around her smiling gave her comfort and she began to smile too. Trip moved away from the door and sat on the bed next to Malcolm and soon Commander and Cadet were hugging.

The End


End file.
